1. Welcome to Baptist Board, a friendly forum to discuss the Baptist Faith in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to all the features that our community has to offer.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

Featured New IFB Church Start

Discussion in 'Fundamental Baptist Forum' started by Still Standing, Aug 23, 2014.

  1. Still Standing

    Still Standing New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2014
    Messages:
    18
    Likes Received:
    0
    I have reluctantly started a new Church in the little town I now live in. I say "reluctantly" on several levels, but the burden would not leave me alone, and I finally quit fighting God and gave in.

    I have pastored before, assistant pastored before, and spent several years on the mission field teaching. Maybe that's part of my reluctance, I'm tired of the fight. Not tired of fighting sin, the Devil and the world, but sure tired of fighting the brethren. But "tired" is no excuse, so we carry on. The brethren kick you in the belly, again, but you have to pick yourself up, wipe off the blood and carry on. "Moreover it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful".

    There was no like-minded church in this town, and it needed one. I had no ministry at the time, and I have Jeremiah's fire in my belly, I can not stop preaching and teaching, even if I wanted to.

    We have started in my house with my family, which is eight, and we now also have a homeless man coming that I found sleeping in the park. He's now sleeping on my back porch and I'm providing him a little work. My son, who is almost 21, and I work work regular jobs and tithe, and that constitutes our entire offering. But, there are no expenses, not one penny, so that is slowly adding up. We've decided that the Lord's money will be better spent helping someone in need or helping a worthy missions project than paying a bank payment or such at this time. When the Lord send a couple of more people, or a family, the house will be too small and we will look to rent one of the small, empty storefronts down town. No debt. No waste.

    We have service at 11:00 am. The music is hymns sung without instruments. I love good piano playing, but buying a mini electric keyboard because it's a simile for what "churches do" does not seem a good plan. We take our time, sing all we want, then I teach the Bible. We are going through I Corinthians right now, are on chapter six tomorrow. When the service is over, we hang around and fellowship (we all live here :tongue3: ) and wait for dinner. That is a precedent I wanted to set for the church as a whole and have in place before more folks start coming. Christians are becoming more disjointed these days. It's volunteer, of course, but I love believers and families spending the day together once a week and encouraging each other.

    Our goals are simple

    1. We study and know our Bible. We only use the KJV, and it is all that will be allowed to be taught or preached from. Anyone coming can bring and follow along without censure in whatever version they choose, of course. When God opens their eyes in His own time and they start asking questions, we will patiently and lovingly answer those questions.
    2. We endeavor to live clean, Godly, daily lives that are separated from the ways of the world. If we sound like the world, look like the world, talk like the world and have the world's priorities, how are we a peculiar (different) people?
    3. We love sinners. We do not condone, excuse or participate in the sin, but we do love the people (and they know it) and reach out to those that we are allowed to.
    4. Our goal is to eventually be a body that raises up, trains, fully supports and sends out ministers and missionaries from within as God chooses and calls them.

    I think I am on the right track, but would like to hear some feed back from other IFB pastors, preachers and faithful men in the church. I don't think I'll be visiting the other forum areas much. No offense intended to anyone, but I've seen enough over there and it doesn't really seem to help my life or what I'm trying to do very much, so I'm going to try to shepherd my time and energy a little better.
     
  2. Jordan Kurecki

    Jordan Kurecki Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Apr 26, 2013
    Messages:
    1,925
    Likes Received:
    130
    Faith:
    Baptist
    I praise the Lord for you brother.

    Where are you located?

    America is in desperate need of church planting.
     
  3. Earth Wind and Fire

    Earth Wind and Fire Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2010
    Messages:
    33,373
    Likes Received:
    1,568
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Has there been any help from any I FB churches outside your area?
     
  4. Still Standing

    Still Standing New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2014
    Messages:
    18
    Likes Received:
    0
    About 20 miles south of Emporia, Kansas on HWY 99 in the Flint Hills, out in cowboy / farming country.
     
  5. Still Standing

    Still Standing New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2014
    Messages:
    18
    Likes Received:
    0
    There is an IFB church about 20 miles north. I just met the pastor last week. He was very encouraging, and said that if there was anything he could do just let him know.

    I'm honestly not sure what help I would need at this time. This town and the surrounding area is full of Methodist, Wesleyan, Catholic, Presbyterian and United Christian Churches, and are polite but vocal about not needing more "religion". Door-knocking and passing out tracts appears to be a big waste of time here, as the people are sick of all of the churches who have scrabbled and fought for numbers among them.

    There are 8 of these churches in town that I know of. We are a town of only 700 people.

    There is a priest, a woman pastoring the Methodist church, and another another man pastoring two of the churches that are not even of the same denomination. From what I understand, most of these churches only run between 10 and 40 on Sunday morning. The folks are sick of empty, organized religion but can't yet separate the Gospel from the rest. "having a form of Godliness, but denying the power thereof".

    We are just living among them, building relationships, "always ready to give an answer", faithfully holding services and praying. I don't know what else to do at this time, if there even is anything.
     
  6. Earth Wind and Fire

    Earth Wind and Fire Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2010
    Messages:
    33,373
    Likes Received:
    1,568
    Faith:
    Baptist
    I fully understand and I am doing the same thing in a 10000 person community.....but I am Not a trained pastor and I don't have the same level of expertise. Still, I applaud that you are attempting to build something in your community rather than defaulting to the 20 mile away church.
     
  7. Rippon

    Rippon Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Dec 12, 2005
    Messages:
    19,715
    Likes Received:
    585
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Tell us more about the Presbyterian Church. It's not PCUSA, is it? If it is PCA or OPC you might find some good Bible believing folks among them
     
  8. Earth Wind and Fire

    Earth Wind and Fire Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2010
    Messages:
    33,373
    Likes Received:
    1,568
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Hate to burst your bubble Rip, but it has been my unfortunate experience PCA churches becoming liberal:tear:

    OPC ...not so much. They operate off of an orthodox platform.....albiet Presbyterian Reformed theology.
     
  9. Still Standing

    Still Standing New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2014
    Messages:
    18
    Likes Received:
    0
    Brother, what constitutes "formal training" for pastors these days usually just ruins a good man. Love the sheep, feed the sheep, protect the sheep. Read Ezekiel 34 every 3 or 4 weeks as a reminder and stay close to God. If He has called you to do this, and if you are faithful come hell or high water (for they will come) you'll do more than many that are "formally trained" and full of "expertise".
     
  10. Rippon

    Rippon Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Dec 12, 2005
    Messages:
    19,715
    Likes Received:
    585
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Are some of the more conservative PCA churches joining with the OPC then?

    You are familiar with the famous 10th Presbyterian Church in Philly, right? Barnhouse and Boice were among the notable preachers. Well that church, at least in the latter years were UPCUSA, then when that went liberal the congrgation joined the RPCES which merged with the PCA. I think 10th Presbyterian keeps the standard waving. Although we are not guaranteed about what's down the road for them I think it is a bell wether.
     
  11. Still Standing

    Still Standing New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2014
    Messages:
    18
    Likes Received:
    0
    Rippon, Take a walk. This post has nothing to do with the Presbyterian Church, or any other denomination. This in the IFB area and the subject is starting an IFB church. Troll your trouble-making self elsewhere.
     
  12. Earth Wind and Fire

    Earth Wind and Fire Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2010
    Messages:
    33,373
    Likes Received:
    1,568
    Faith:
    Baptist
    I agree with 10th standard......and I would even attend there if I could.......but they do not represent the churches I have attended in NJ that are becoming more like PCUSA 'unfortunately '....and that's not an argueable point we should be having on this thread.....rather we should allow this fellow to configure the church he started the way he thinks best....with that said, I will drop from the rest of the conversation.
     
  13. Rippon

    Rippon Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Dec 12, 2005
    Messages:
    19,715
    Likes Received:
    585
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Hey, take a chill pill. You mentioned that there was at least one Presbyterian church in your area. So I thought I would enquire more about it. Don't cut yourself off from other believers even if they don't belong to your special enclave. Besides, have you ever heard of the Free Presbyterian Church? They are rather Fundamental.
     
  14. evangelist6589

    evangelist6589 Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Nov 22, 2010
    Messages:
    10,285
    Likes Received:
    163
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Why are you so dogmatic on Bible translations? Why bow down to traditions??? I'm sure the Latin Vulgate would be the only translation available if powers at that time had their way. Modern translations make the word far easier to understand as MOST do not speak nor write in 16th century english anymore.

    Most KJVO I know of use it only because of their traditions, not because they have actually thought their position over a little. I am not attacking the KJV, I am just saying that language has changed and God's word should be easy and really available for people of our generation in a language they can understand.

    Numerous books for you to read but one comes to mind is called The KJV Only Controversy by White.
     
  15. evangelist6589

    evangelist6589 Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Nov 22, 2010
    Messages:
    10,285
    Likes Received:
    163
    Faith:
    Baptist
    I have told you before to go chase a Rabbit but you did not listen.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    #15 evangelist6589, Aug 24, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 24, 2014
  16. robt.k.fall

    robt.k.fall Member

    Joined:
    Nov 20, 2010
    Messages:
    134
    Likes Received:
    3
    It's not a matter of special enclaves. This Baptist and Presbyterians\Congregationalists split predates the rise of the Fundamentalist movement. It boils down to how you view baptism. The meaning and mode of Baptism is not a denominational peculiarity. Baptists over the years have suffered greatly for their stand that the ordinance Baptism is for professed believers only. I'm not going all Trail of Blood on you. I am however, referring to the persecution of Anabaptists on the Continent, Baptists in England, and the 1651 case of Obadiah Holmes in Massachusetts Bay Colony. While I agree that Free Presbyterians are our brothers in Christ, they are not a church of like faith and order.


     
  17. Rippon

    Rippon Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Dec 12, 2005
    Messages:
    19,715
    Likes Received:
    585
    Faith:
    Baptist
    The Free Presbyterian Church is unique among Presbyterian churches. It gives freedom of liberty on the issue of Baptism. There are members who adhere to so-called infant baptism,(they wouldn't call it that necessarily) and to credo-baptism as well.
     
    #17 Rippon, Aug 24, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 24, 2014
  18. robt.k.fall

    robt.k.fall Member

    Joined:
    Nov 20, 2010
    Messages:
    134
    Likes Received:
    3
    I know their stance or rather their lack of one on Baptism. The Primitive Methodists take much the same stand. Though, as I understand it the PMs is more towards the method of baptism.

    Either way, there are many Baptist churches which would not recognize a FP or a PM baptism. For them it is not a matter of liberty.
     
  19. Rippon

    Rippon Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Dec 12, 2005
    Messages:
    19,715
    Likes Received:
    585
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Would many Baptists churches recognize a potential member who was baptized as an adult in a FP church?
     
  20. Squire Robertsson

    Squire Robertsson Administrator
    Administrator

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2000
    Messages:
    15,371
    Likes Received:
    2,405
    Faith:
    Baptist
    I'm going to jump in here to save some time. The key phrase is
    They would hold the FP are deficent in not holding to the proper meaning (as they allow for pedobaptism) and mode (not only full immersion) of the ordinance of Baptism.
     
Loading...